A parallel to this verse is found also in the preaching of John the Baptist (Matt 3.10; Luke 3.9), though it is not found in the Lukan parallel to the present passage (Luke 6.43-45). It is a simple statement of what a farmer does to a tree that does not produce fruit over a period of time: “Any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and burned” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Moffatt, in fact, places verse 20 before verse 19, both to preserve the thought sequence and to make proper connection with the following paragraph: “ So you will know them by their fruit. Any tree that does not produce sound fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

This sentence, verse 19, is a passive construction. Many languages naturally use an active construction, which means that an agent must be supplied. Quite often this is something like “the farmer.” Further, keeping in mind what is said under verse 17 about the trees being part of a plantation or an orchard, the verse can well be rendered “The farmer (or, A man) will cut down and burn in a fire any tree on his farm that does not bear good fruit.”

Also see 3.10 for similar expressions.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .